Nick Carter Accused of Sexually Assaulting Woman and Giving Her STDs That Led to Cervical Cancer: Lawsuit

The alleged incidents took place between approximately 2004 and 2005. Carter has denied the allegations

Nick Carter has been accused of allegedly sexually assaulting a woman, who claims in a new lawsuit that she contracted STDs that led to cervical cancer.

In a lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE, Laura Penly alleges that the Backstreet Boys performer, 45, sexually assaulted her in approximately 2004 when she was around 19 years old. Carter denied the allegations in a statement released by his lawyers.

Penly alleges that their interactions with one another took place around December 2004 to February 2005 for a “sexually intimate relationship and [they] would see each other approximately every few weeks” when she visited Los Angeles. 

Penly claims the sex was consensual at least three times before things allegedly took a turn while at his Hollywood apartment. 

Though she claims to have asked him to wear a condom, the plaintiff alleges Carter “refused,” instead leading her to think “he was ‘clean’ of sexually transmittable diseases.”

According to the lawsuit, Penly alleges that prior to her interactions with Carter, she had never had unprotected sex with anyone. 

She alleges that in early 2005, she’d gone to his apartment once again, but only with the hope of watching movies with the singer. The lawsuit alleges Carter “told her no because the only reason she was there was to have sex.”

Penly’s lawsuit alleges that the sexual assault “forcefully” happened on his bed, despite her “saying ‘no’ multiple times.”

Carter allegedly “failed to use protection to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections to” Penly. 

Per her lawsuit, the woman says she was instructed to keep the assault a secret since no one would believe her anyway. However, a few months later, Carter allegedly apologized and she went to see him again where she alleges she was sexually assaulted for a second time.

Penly alleges that Carter “infected plaintiff with various sexually transmitted diseases, including the human papillomavirus (commonly known as HPV), a sexually transmitted infection known to cause health problems such as cervical cancer.”

In approximately July 2005, Penly allegedly tested positive for chlamydia and gonorrhea, plus cancerous cells following a doctor’s visit. 

By August, she “was diagnosed with Stage 2 cervical cancer and had to undergo numerous treatments,” which caused “severe emotional distress, physical anguish, medical issues, intimacy issues, and other complex trauma” for Penly.

She claims she has also been harassed by Carter’s fans after she testified against him at a deposition. 

Due to Carter’s “willful and conscious disregard” for her safety, Penly is seeking damages in excess of $15,000 and is demanding a jury trial.

“It takes profound courage and resilience for survivors of sexual assault to publicly come forward in pursuit of justice, particularly in the music industry that has long fostered a pervasive environment of sexual exploitation,” Gianna N. Elliot, an attorney with Marsh Law Firm, which is representing Penly, said in a statement to PEOPLE. “Carter used his power, status, and fame to sexually abuse and assault multiple young women and avoid any accountability. This lawsuit aims to change that pattern.”

“We hope that Laura receives the justice she rightfully deserves and that this lawsuit serves as a catalyst, empowering other survivors to raise their voices and hold their abusers to account,” Elliot continued.

Carter has denied Penly’s accusations.

“This is just more of the same nonsense from the gang of conspirators and their lawyers who continue to abuse the justice system to try to ruin Nick Carter. It’s drawn from the same predictable playbook – lie in wait for decades until Mr. Carter is celebrating a professional milestone, then hide behind litigation privilege to make utterly false claims in an attempt to inflict maximum damage on Nick and his family,” his attorneys, Liane K. Wakayama and Dale Hayes, Jr, said in a statement to PEOPLE.

“Nick does not recall ever even meeting Laura Penly. He certainly never had any romantic or sexual relationship with her. Ever,” they said, adding that they plan to “fight” the allegations.

Melissa Schuman, Ashley Repp and Shannon Ruth have also accused the singer of sexual assault, making Penly the fourth woman to come forward. Carter denied these allegations as well. He countersued Schuman and Ruth for defamation in 2023. In 2024, a judge ruled that Carter could not countersue Repp for defamation.

Schuman’s case will start in California in December, while Repp and Ruth’s cases will be heard together in Nevada in March 2026.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.